I agree with you in premise, there is a general trend to over lore in modern sci-fi. Things can't just be, they need some specific explanation.
This though, I didn't hate. It's always bothered me that aliens in sci-fi are just humans with shit on their face, their cultures are just aspects of our culture turned to the extreme, and every species' technology is around the same level.
Having a progenitor species that seeded the galaxy and that's why every intelligent species is basically the same is fine, basic but you know at least it makes sense and doesn't need to come up again.
Why are they the same, because a wizard did it essentially.
I read the headline earlier, with no picture, and thought yeah he always looks like a bloated orange monster that tracks.
Actually seeing the pictures all I can think of is the training I did on FAST, literally the F is for face drooping, that old mother fucker is having a god damned stroke...